


Drive Me Crazy

by bettycooper



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2019-04-18 05:43:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14206362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bettycooper/pseuds/bettycooper
Summary: Based on the movie Drive Me Crazy. When Betty Cooper is suddenly in need of a date to Riverdale High's Centennial, it seems like her former childhood bff Jughead Jones may be her best option. But convincing fake dating nowadays isn't as easy as it used to be, especially for two people who have essentially been strangers since they were twelve years old.





	Drive Me Crazy

**Author's Note:**

> This has been drafted for SO long, so I finally decided to post it. A few more characters and side pairings may pop up along the way, but I'm still figuring things out. SUPER BRIEF mentions of Toni/Jughead and Archie/Betty, but those are both moved past pretty quickly.

“Don’t forget to get your tickets to the Riverdale High Centennial. It’s going to be one of the best nights of our lives,” Betty chirped, hoping that her enthusiasm would be clearly conveyed over the morning announcements even though she was feeling less than enthusiastic about the event. She had been planning the event almost single-handedly for _months_ and everything seemed like it had been in place to make it _the_ most amazing night. She had the prettiest dress, a flawless hair and makeup plan, a limo rented with some good friends, and she was basically guaranteed the _best_ date who _also_ just so happened to be the boy-next-door she’d been crushing on for forever. As much as she hated to use the word, the night really was shaping up to be perfect. Until Archie Andrews had quite literally fallen head over heels for Valerie Brown at the last football game. Suddenly her _perfect_ night had come crashing down in an instant and Betty Cooper was left sad and dateless a mere two weeks before the dance.

The blonde didn’t hold it against her oldest friend, longest crush, and neighbor that he’d ditched out on her last minute (or… she didn’t hold it against him _too much_ ), but what was she supposed to do? By that point there were really zero legitimate options for her big night. Betty spent most of the first half of her Friday in a daze, her mind focused on trying to make her feel a little less heartbroken and desperate. By free period she could barely focus on what her friends were saying as she jotted down idea after idea of how to get out of the night or save face in some other way. Because _apparently_ it would just be too pathetic for the planner of the dance to go alone.

Finally tuning into Kevin and Cheryl’s chatter after a moment, Betty had to admit that the current topic of conversation was a surprise to her. “Toni broke up with Jughead? Two weeks before the Centennial?” she heard Cheryl ask, seemingly aghast. “It’s not like they were going to go anyway, but yeah. It’s all over their little friend group.” Before they could get any further in the conversation, Betty cut in, surprise evident in her tone. “I didn’t know you cared about Toni and Jughead, Kevin.” No one in their small friend circle was exactly friends with any of the kids from the Southside, but when news travelled around the school it moved quickly. That must’ve been how Kevin found out… right? “Oh Betty. Any gossip is good gossip,” her brunette friend immediately informed her, looking over to Cheryl with a smile before both of them focused their attention on Betty instead. “One hundred percent true. I’m sure they’re talking about how Archie Andrews dropped you like a hot potato too,” the redhead didn’t hesitate to say, causing Kevin to emit a quick gasp and a “Cheryl!” as the girl just shrugged. “You know it’s true.”

“It’s fine, Kevin,” Betty started, trying her hardest to resist every urge she had to engage Cheryl in a war of words or just bolt out the door to take solace in the office of the Blue and Gold. She and Cheryl had never been the closest of friends, but they’d been okay lately. Cheryl’s brutal honesty just wasn’t helpful to Betty in that moment, so it was probably best to find a solid excuse to ditch out. “Look, I need to go. We still need to finalize a few things for the Centennial. I’ll see you at Veronica’s tonight?” she asked, not giving the pair much of a chance to answer before she was heading out the door, waving goodbye as she did so.

 

***

 

A mere eight hours later and Betty Cooper was admittedly way more inebriated than she’d ever been before. She was to the point that evening where she was taking a shot no matter what the ‘never have I ever’ truth was, leading to some questioning looks from her fellow partygoers and a high level of concern from more than one individual in her inner circle.

“Betty! Betty, Betty, Betty. I think you’ve had enough for tonight. Here. Take this water bottle and my hand and come with me,” Veronica insisted after Betty took a shot for ‘never have I ever had a crush on a teacher’, thrusting the water bottle into the blonde’s hand before she could have a chance to insist that everything was okay. “I know it’s barely nine, but I called you a Safe Ride. You know, that service at school that’s like an Uber but… a little less sketch?”

“V, I’m _fine_ ,” Betty stressed, swaying only a little as the girl guided her towards the elevator that would get her far away from the penthouse party currently raging behind them. “I just need to drink this water and then I’ll be good to go. Or I could crash here! My mom wouldn’t even notice. She’s been spending every night at the Register lately. Come on, please let me stay!” Determined to not admit defeat and head home, Betty was prepared to use her words to make sure that she got to stay. If only said words weren’t slightly slurred…

“No can do, B. If your mother _is_ home and she sends out a search party for you then I’ll never hear the end of it. Besides, at this point half of the school is thinking you not only did Jingle Jangle at school, but that you may or may not be making some extra cash as a lady of the night. Which, no judgment, we’re eighteen, but I’m almost positive is not true. Trust me, I needed to get you out of that game. You’re already going to have a raging hangover tomorrow. I’m not about to let it get any worse,” Veronica continued to insist, Betty somehow managing to focus on her words instead of the elevator spinning around them.

Before the blonde knew it they were outside, Betty leaning against her best friend as an old truck rolled up and stopped directly in front of them. “Oh, right. It’s you,” Betty registered Veronica calling out, her attention only briefly focusing on the view of three mysterious figures emerging from the vehicle before it became in _everyone’s_ best interest for Betty to shut her eyes. The world was really spinning by that point and she was in serious danger of either falling or having some of the alcohol she'd just consumed come right back up. But surely she hadn’t had _that_ much to drink, right? “You rang, Princess?” she heard a semi-familiar voice reply, noting that it was probably Sweet Pea. After all, he was known as the guy behind the Safe Ride program. What had started as mandatory community service had spiraled into (for some reason) a full thing for him and his friends. Wait. His friends…

Betty’s eyes shot open as she felt another set of arms suddenly supporting her, leading her towards the truck. In the back of her mind the girl was registering what was happening, but in the moment it was the small things that were catching her attention. Fangs (that was his name, right?) was recording her, which was definitely something she’d have to deal with later. The tall figure she was currently perched against who wasn’t Veronica felt super familiar. Veronica was letting go of her to approach the tallest of the bunch. It felt like everything was happening in slow motion, but Betty knew that wasn’t possible. “What? No bikes?” Veronica asked, an immediate reply from Sweet Pea hitting Betty’s ears as she noticed detail after detail about the person currently helping her into the truck. “Wouldn’t be very safe, now would it?” Tall. On the thin side. Hat. Hat with pointy detailing. Wait. Scratch that. Distinctive crown beanie. “Jughead?” Betty finally murmured, the identity of the mysterious figure who had been helping her suddenly clicking into place as she looked up at him. “Betty.” “You don’t have to-“ she immediately tried to brush him off, moving to crawl forward on her own into the back seat of the truck but failing to do so in a graceful way. “Are you getting this?” she heard Jughead ask Fangs, causing her to frown at both Jughead’s dismissal of her and Fangs’ reply. “Riverdale High’s perfect blonde princess is wasted.”

“I’m not-“ Betty started to defend herself, stopping as soon as Veronica started to speak. “200 bucks for whatever you record of her tonight to disappear forever.” No. No, she shouldn’t have to do that. “V-” Betty started again, pouting over at her best friend and knowing that she was going to offer to pay her back later. “Done,” Fangs agreed almost immediately. And then it seemed like business was settled. Betty watched her best friend slide a couple of bills over to Sweet Pea and before she knew it all three boys were settled in, Betty somehow buckled into the back seat as far away from Jughead as she could be.

“You know where she lives?” Veronica asked, prompting a snort from Jughead. “I think we can figure it out,” he replied. It was something Betty hadn’t exactly touched on in her conversations with Veronica yet, but both Betty and Jughead knew that he was very much aware of where she lived. Once upon a time they had been the best of friends. The Three Musketeers, actually. Jughead, Betty, and…

“Wait up!” an all-too-familiar voice shouted from not nearly far enough away not to be heard. _Even just think of the devil._ “No,” Betty insisted, looking over at Veronica in a panic as the worst possible thing that could happen in that moment began to happen. Archie Andrews was suddenly standing next to the truck, unable to read the situation in a way that only Archie Andrews could. “Can I hop in? I think I lost my keys, but I probably shouldn’t be driving anyway so either way I need a... Oh! Hey, Betty. This is perfect. We’re neighbors so-“ Archie was immediately cut off by Betty’s words, harsh but necessary. “Oh, absolutely not. Veronica!” But not even Veronica could save Betty from the agreement of _the person running the Safe Ride program_.

“This is hilarious,” Sweet Pea laughed, noting the horror in Betty’s face with clear amusement. “Hop in, Red. But give Jug and Blondie a chance to rearrange themselves in the back. I’m thinking you and her have a little something to work out and I don’t think my boy Jug wants to be caught in the middle.” Were Betty a little less inebriated she surely could’ve come up with a way to reject such a plan, but unfortunately for her she was still drunk and she could only sit there dejectedly as Jughead slipped out of the truck and made his way to the other side.

And then there she was, sitting in between her two former childhood bffs. And she really didn’t know which situation was more awkward in that moment. She did, however, know who she was pissed off at, and that was the redhead to her right. Staring straight ahead as everyone settled in and Jughead programmed an address into Sweet Pea’s Google Maps, Betty made a decision. She was going to be the bigger person in the situation with Archie. Instead of yelling at him, she was just going to give him the silent treatment. Because drunk her would only say regrettable things, she was sure of it.

Unfortunately, Betty’s impulse control didn’t last long. They had barely even buckled their seatbelts before Betty was off, the words spilling from her before she could process what she was saying. “Arch. We were supposed to go to the Centennial _together._ You asked Kevin to ask Cheryl to ask me if I’d be interested in going and I said yes! How could you do this to me?”

She didn’t notice Fangs recording, didn’t register Jughead staring out the window, looking a little more miserable than he usually did, and definitely didn’t note Sweet Pea’s amused expression. Instead she was entirely focused on her neighbor, the frown on her face only growing as she listened to what he had to say. “I know, I know Betty. But look… I already asked Val. I mean, maybe we could all go together?” Was he serious? No! “That’s not how it works. I can’t attend _my_ Centennial as someone’s third wheel pity date.”

“Betty, I-“ she heard him start again, but the blonde cut him off before he could get any farther. “Just shut up. Shut up. I really don’t want to talk to you right now, Arch. You never, and I mean _never_ , think about how your actions impact others. We’re supposed to be best friends, but friends don’t do this to each other.” She knew she was being selfish by that point and she definitely knew she’d regret her words, but in that moment they felt so good to say that she didn’t mind that she was the cause of the fact that they spent the rest of the ride in awkward silence. Before she knew it Archie was a safe distance away from her and it was just Betty and Jughead, standing in front of her front door as Sweet Pea and Fangs waited in the still running truck.

“You didn’t have to walk me to my door,” Betty insisted as she fumbled with her keys, avoiding looking at Jughead as she instead noted all of the signs that the Cooper residence was (thankfully) currently empty. Alice Cooper’s car? Nowhere to be found. Any signs of life inside? Nope. As had been increasingly the case as of late, Betty’s mother was nowhere to be found. Which was a blessing for the night, all things considered.

“Your mom really isn’t going to like that you’re sneaking in drunk. Want to use the window?” Jughead soon asked, snapping Betty out of her thoughts only for her to be surprised by where his had gone. It probably was common knowledge that Alice Cooper wouldn’t approve of underage drinking, but still… Betty hadn’t thought that Jughead would care. After all, it had been quite some time since they’d last seemed to care about each other. But it seemed like the night was just determined to be one full of surprises for the blonde. “The lights aren’t on. She’s not home,” Betty murmured after a moment, managing a slight shrug before she turned the key in the lock and let herself in. “Thanks for helping tonight. I’ll… see you at school,” she soon dismissed him, only waiting for a slight shrug and a “yeah, sure” before she shut the door and began to carefully make her way upstairs.

There were plenty of thoughts bouncing around in her head by that point, from ones about Archie to ones about her having potentially wrecked her reputation that night to ones (surprisingly) about Jughead. But she couldn’t truly focus on any of them when she was still at her current level of inebriation, so she quickly changed into more comfortable clothes and did her best to do her whole nighttime routine for some semblance of normalcy before she slipped into bed.

Betty was ready to face the consequences of her drinking the next day when inspiration struck her and she felt the need to act upon it in that very moment. Determined, she knew that she was going to find a new date that night. All she needed was the Riverdale High yearbook. Grabbing her computer to pull up the most recently saved draft of that year’s yearbook, Betty had a whole document of possibilities half-drafted before she could even register the fact that it probably wasn’t wise for her to be making such decisions at… 1 in the morning while still mostly inebriated.

Yet, her determination continued. Archie Andrews was out, so who was left? Chuck Clayton? Absolutely not. Jughead Jones? Huh. Kevin Keller? Lovely, but no. Reggie Mantle? Going with Josie. Moose Mason? He had to be going with Midge, right? On and on she went until she had a shortlist of ten. And the number one person on the list was perhaps the most surprising thing of all that night. Before she lost her courage, Betty knew she had to act upon her impulsive list making decision.

So she grabbed her phone, scrolling through her contacts until she found a number she’d never had to use before. She had been prepared to leave a rambling voicemail, maybe follow up with a friendly text the next morning. What she hadn’t been prepared for was for him to pick up. “Hello?” Betty heard from the other end of the line, confusion evident in the male’s tone.

“Jughead Jones. Be my date to the Centennial.” It wasn’t exactly the way she’d been hoping to kick things off, but it got the point across, which saved her _some_ potential awkwardness. “Betty? What?” Jughead immediately asked, clearly surprised that she was the one calling. And maybe even more surprised by what she was asking. “Why on Earth would I do that?”

“You were just dumped – sorry about that by the way – and I was just dropped. We could help each other,” the blonde reasoned, settling into her bed as she took comfort in the fact that Jughead hadn’t just hung up the phone. With their complicated history she wouldn’t have blamed him, but instead he seemed to just have a few questions regarding her proposal. Including… “What’s in it for me?”

A question for which she didn’t quite have an answer yet, but one that she could easily come up with one for in the morning. And one she could BS her way around presently. “If you have to ask, then you aren’t as smart as you think you are,” she decided to say, a yawn suddenly slipping out of her before she decided to wrap things up. “Look, I think we’re both probably pretty tired by now. I’ll give you the night to sleep on it. Get back to me. Night, Jug,” Betty smiled, ending the call before she found some way to extend it and ruin her chances for good. No, things may have been weird between the two of them, but there was no way he’d say no… right?


End file.
